Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has received accreditation from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, GCAA, to operate the country's first Aeromedical Centre, AeMC.

The GCAA is the government regulatory body responsible for civil aviation in the UAE. They are bringing their rules and regulations in line with those of the European aviation regulator, EASA.

As part of this alignment, medical clinics may apply to the authority for special approval as an "Aeromedical Centre" or "AeMC". This grants extended privileges to the clinic, to allow additional functions to be performed on behalf of the regulator.

The authorisation was received following a detailed review of Etihad Airways Medical Centre, EAMC, including its policy and procedure framework, and its highly qualified medical professionals. These requirements reflect the fact that in approving a medical facility as an AeMC, the GCAA is delegating significant responsibility and therefore extremely high standards must be met and maintained thereafter.

As a result, Etihad Airways Medical Centre will now have the authority to issue initial medical certificates to pilots, air traffic controllers and other professional aviation licence holders. Reissuance of certificates will also be delegated to Etihad Airways Medical Centre. With over 2,000 pilots and 5,000 cabin crew currently employed at Etihad Airways, the accreditation will significantly impact efficiency of the medical experience for employees.

Vice President, Medical Services, at Etihad Airways, Dr. Nadia Bastaki, said, "It is an honour for the Etihad Airways Medical Centre to receive this recognition and become the first Aeromedical Centre in the UAE to adopt new GCAA regulations. This accreditation is a great addition to the world-class medical services we offer our people and reflects the high standard of service which has been implemented at the airline's medical centre in recent years. It will enhance the care that we provide to our pilots and cabin crew, thereby contributing to Etihad's number priority – safety. The Aviation medical team at EAMC has been ranked as the highest performing team in the region for last three years by the GCAA. This accreditation not only makes us proud as a team but also recognises the hard work that we put in every day."

Assistant Director-General for Aviation Safety Affairs, GCAA, Ismaeil Al Balooshi, said, "GCAA is pleased to award Etihad Airways Medical Centre the first Aeromedical Centre Approval in the UAE. This step comes after the efforts deployed by Etihad Airways to fulfil all the requirements to run and operate a medical centre with the highest standards and best practices. This achievement reaffirms GCAA's commitment to work closely with the stakeholders to advance the civil aviation industry in UAE and reach its ultimate vision of safer, secure and sustainable aviation system".
Source: WAM